


Sanctuary

by mcrningstar



Category: Dynasty (TV 2017)
Genre: 2x03, Angst, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-11
Updated: 2018-11-11
Packaged: 2019-08-22 06:47:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,745
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16592885
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcrningstar/pseuds/mcrningstar
Summary: It’s downright impossible for anyone involved with the Carringtons to dodge trouble and drama, but when those inevitable hits strike, Steven and Sam can always find a safe haven in one another.





	Sanctuary

**Author's Note:**

> My first Steammy one shot of (hopefully) many! I’ve been meaning to write for them forever but I didn’t get around to finish any, until the CW had the audacity to throw the latest news into our faces. So here I go, bitter and heartbroken and desperately hoping that we will get more of this beautiful relationship — until then, I’ve made it my mission to write scenes that we never got to see but honestly deserved to. (This also explains why some parts of this are sooooo cliché, whoops.)
> 
> This takes place right after 2x03, so watch out for spoilers! I also used a few prompts from Tumblr for this, credits to the people that came up with them:
> 
> "It's okay to cry." + "You did all of this for me?" + "I know it hurts." + "You're the one thing keeping me sane right now."

**STEVEN WASN'T USED TO** the overwhelming feeling of being lost and clueless, of not knowing what to do, of struggling to comprehend every thought and emotion that reared its head within him — in a way, it was strange, considering the house he grew up in, the family he grew up _with._ In fact, you'd think that with the dysfunctional bunch he had been surrounded by most of his life, he would've gotten accustomed to things like disappointment, despair, hopelessness. But, albeit he certainly had experience, he still couldn't stop himself from sinking now, losing track of time and space and fading into a buzzing silence as he sat on the loveseat at the foot of his and Sam's bed — he still couldn't stop himself from being paralyzed with shock, devoid of words and simply staring into nothingness as he tried to make sense of the millions of questions spinning in his head.

Then again, perhaps it was quite justified, for a man who just found out not only that his father wasn't actually his father, but that his baby wasn't actually his baby.

_"What?"_ That was the last thing he had spoken all night, his voice betraying him under the weight of his disbelief before he had frozen right in front of all those people who had already begun whispering and posting all about his flop of a baby shower on social media. No doubt, the news was dripping with the cursed name that, in the end, turned out to not even be his, and people were pulling their entertainment out of the event that had ended in Steven Carrington's heartbreak, rather than happiness. If it wasn't for Sam, who had quickly jumped to his defense by demanding everyone to leave and wrapping an arm around Steven to escort him out of everyone's eye and to their secluded bedroom, the internet would surely collapse from all the cruel memes and articles of the night.

Steven didn't know how to handle it, either. He had always cared about Anders, and in some ways, he had been more of a dad than Blake, but that wasn't to say there wasn't a real bond with the latter, too. And ever the selfless one of the Carringtons, he couldn't help but wonder how they were feeling — was Blake feeling as stabbed in the back as he imagined him to, and how had Anders managed to keep it to himself all these years? As for Melissa, every last shred of sympathy had been turned to ashes as soon as she had admitted to lying for the sake of fame and fortune, but the anger in Steven was losing to the unadulterated sorrow. He had finally felt somewhat ready to be a father, and all his effort had been for nothing.

And although it made him feel kind of selfish, he couldn't help but think that he deserved better. He would have never in a million years said it out loud, especially to Sam, who had suffered more than enough the past year, but it was a thought he struggled with — wasn't it enough to have his wedding day ruined, almost die in a fire, fear for his marriage before it even got to start and lose one of his greatest friends to the same flames that had nearly sucked him in? Hadn't there been enough torment already? When would he get a break — when would he and Sam get a break?

Not much made sense, though admittedly hardly half an hour had passed since Sam — with Fallon's assistance — had ushered everyone out of the manor, but that was the one thing that Sammy could wholeheartedly agree on. They deserved a breather, to enjoy being newly-weds, instead of constantly having to look over their shoulder to prepare for another incoming blow. And he really, _really_ hated seeing Steven like this, so clearly troubled yet unwilling, or more accurately, unable to say anything.

"It's okay to cry", Sam spoke for the first time in their eerily quiet room, and he nearly flinched at how quickly Steven reacted by meeting his warm gaze with empty eyes. Well, they were never really empty — even if he tried, he couldn't rid them of the emotion he was known for carrying at all times, and the feature he so adored about his husband earned a heavy sigh from Sam as he trekked from the other side of the room to the loveseat, as well. With a tired slump, the man ended right next to Steven, who just steered his stare back to the carpet and continued to wreck his mind with the endless thoughts, burning him out despite the lack of movement, and the sight successfully broke Sam's heart into bits and pieces. But, this wasn't about him, so even if his words went unanswered in a way that left him wondering if he had actually said them out loud or just in his own head, he remained strong and swallowed thickly while reaching out for Steven's shoulder — gently, to make sure touching was in the cards right now, and when he didn't move away, Sam took the opportunity to deepen his supportive grip.

"Hey", he breathed out, his voice straining to reach above a whisper but it was enough to make its way to Steven's ears while Sam's soft thumb swiped away the ghosts of his drying tears to stop them from haunting them both. "Whatever you need, I'm here", the Jones continued calmly, though the faintness in his tone didn't stop him from speaking from the heart and enough force to convince Steven of it — nevertheless, as thankful as he was, the man only pursed his lips into a smile that was nowhere near close genuine, and gave Sam a tired look that he tried to make full of life, but whether or not he succeeded, Sammy understood.

"Could we just call it a night?" was Steven's humble request, and albeit he made sure to smile up at Sam, he failed to hide the thorough exhaustion in him — not so much physical, but he was undeniably sick and tired of the secrets and lies and the inability to fully trust anyone. Well, anyone except for Sam, that was.

Already up on his feet, the brunette was offering Steven his hand, which he languidly accepted, only to be led to the bed that Sammy had already stripped of the bedspread and decorative pillows. "Why don't you get warm and cozy in there...", he suggested while helping Steven out of his tight jacket and the classy button-up beneath, well-aware that he could have done it on his own, but he was hellbent on making things as easy for the Carrington as only possible. If Steven didn't want to talk, he wasn't going to push or beg for any thoughts — he was, instead, finding other ways to relieve him of the stress and confusion he was undoubtedly crippled with. Otherwise, he would have put up a fight about being very capable of undressing himself, but now, he only stood there and lazily lifted his arms whenever Sam instructed so.

"And I'll go get you something to eat and drink, okay?" he added with a lift of his eyebrow, and as Steven slouched down to the mattress, he gave his spouse a look that was easy to read in its defiance. But, before an argument could be formed, Sam was already turning on his heel and pointing a stern finger at the man, "I won't let you go to sleep with an empty stomach. Trust me, it really sucks." There was a chance his experiences were based on his impeccable appetite, but he had a point too, and therefore, Steven opted for a silent, grateful smile in response, making Sam do the same as he traveled towards the closed door of their room.

As he disappeared into the hallway, nothing but the inviting scent of his aftershave remaining within the four walls, Steven let a deep sigh fill the new silence while relaxing his shoulders and falling onto the mattress. The warmth suddenly got to him, but as soon as he closed his eyes in an attempt to unwind, it was like the swarm of thoughts in his mind began to mock him — did he really think he was going to get some _sleep?_ Did he really think he'd get off the hook so easily? No, with his kind heart and good nature, he was destined to overthink and mull over the events of the night in a torturous loop.

At least he had Sam. He had discovered that that was his way of comforting himself on most occasions, that when things went awry or he felt like giving up, he could close his eyes and remember the dashing smile of his darling, recall their shared sweet nothings and look forward to another consoling embrace, another loving kiss that never ceased to take his breath away. But even if only the thought of the man filled Steven's heart with gratitude and love, there were limits to how much he was willing to burden him — he trusted him, and he knew that the key to a successful relationship was honesty and conversation, but he also knew that Sammy had been through plenty and complaining about his own issues to no end would just drown him with guilt.

But whenever that particular worry decided to rise back to the surface, Steven could remind himself that should Sam hear it, he wouldn't hesitate to debunk every inch of the creeping anxiety with promises of undying loyalty and attention to each and every problem or trouble that had dared to disturb his lover. And even after everything that had tried to tear Steven down that night, he found himself cracking a smile, eyes shut and his entire body feeling like sinking into the tempting bed.

When the door clicked as a sign of opening, however, he was weakly parting his eyes again and propping himself up to his elbow, merely to spot Sam trying to make it through the doorway with a shiny silver tray in his hand and the Carringtons' dog at his feet. Steven couldn't help but widen his eyes as he watched his husband stumble into the room and use his foot to kick the door shut once more, before making a charming spin around and proudly lifting the tray he had filled with little snacks, a huge piece of cake and a steaming cup that Steven was _desperately_ hoping to be tea.

Instead of asking, though, he cocked an eyebrow at Sam and his attempt to lead Bo into the room, and sensing the questioning tone in Steven's stare, he was quick to offer a light chuckle and lift his shoulders in an innocent shrug.

"All situations can be improved with dogs", he defended himself with a fair argument, and instantly, he could see that behind Steven's amused half a smile was the intention to wonder where he had pulled this specific fact, but whether or not it was scientifically proven, it wasn't a complete lie. Therefore, appreciative of the lengths Sam was going to, Steven simply tilted his head to the side and climbed to sit up and cross his legs on the bed, inviting Bo to join him with a pat and then doing the same for Sam with a nod of his head. When the man finally took a careful seat next to Steven to balance the full tray in his hands, the contents earned a surprised stare from the Carrington.

"You did all of this for me?" he didn't even try to hide the amazement in his voice as his eyes trailed from the delicious food presented in front of him to Sam, whose usual confidence suddenly faded into something more meek and sheepish with a shy shrug. If anything, though, that only helped the beginning of a smile to blow up on Steven's face, his heart suddenly lifted from rock bottom and his hand gently landing on top of Sam's to thank him, while the other one scratched Bo from behind his floppy ears.

_"Well"_ , Sam inhaled, the familiar shade of mischief making a break for it again, "I can't take credit for the cake or the other stuff that Mrs. Gunnerson prepared for the baby shower, but I did make you the tea. Just the way you like it", his words warming Steven's soul for multiple reasons, and even if he didn't say it out loud, it was apparent on his face — the chances of him snapping out of his miserable state just like that was an impossible scenario, but Sam was definitely helping him dig his way out of the darkness he had been tossed into. He always did that, and it was a reminder of why he had proposed to him in the first place — because he had a big heart, no matter what people thought, and there was not much he wouldn't have done for those he cared about.

As if Steven hadn't already been knocked into a whirlwind of love for him, Sam continued suddenly, merely adding into the safe atmosphere that had followed him into the room. "Like I said before the baby shower, supporting and comforting you is my job now. I hate seeing you like this — but I don't blame you. If you don't want to talk about it, I won't pressure, but all I'm saying is... I'm here for you, whether you like it or not", he announced, remaining quiet enough to not disturb the peace that had sucked all the tension from between them, but nevertheless, with such firmness that Steven couldn't miss the sincerity in him. If not through his tone, then his eyes said it all, twinkling in the dimly lit room with affection and worry for the man he would have gone to hell and back for.

Sighing adoringly, Steven let his hand journey from Sam's fingers to his cheek before nodding to confirm that he understood, and truly valued everything that was being done for him. "I love you", he assured, immediately making Sam flash his signature grin, boyish and heart-wrenching as much as it was beautiful. It wasn't only because of the love confession he would never not admire hearing, but because it was good to spot Steven feeling something other than the agony that had been on the verge of breaking him. He was so worried about Sam and his well-being, but in reality, _he_ had seen more torment than anyone should, experienced more pain and kicked through more struggles than people acknowledged. He always took care of others, but it was hardly understood how much Steven had faced — Sam knew, though, and he wasn't going to undermine the facts any longer.

The rest of the night went by with them eating together, albeit initially, Sam's intention had been to keep his hands off of Steven's food, but when the man had fallen back into the pillows with his teacup in hand and Bo on his lap, he had insisted on the opposite. And who was Sam to fight back?

And it almost seemed like he had successfully helped Steven out of the void before he could get completely lost in it, as they eventually hid under the covers together and sank into one another's arms with Steven nestled against Sam's bare chest and the latter caressing his hair until he'd fall asleep. But when the midnight hours crept over them and the moonlight outside cast a stripe on their ceiling, the situation began to backslide. With Sam soundly asleep and softly snoring against the sheets, Steven struggled to do the same, plagued with uncertainty and some twisted form of guilt. None of it was his fault, but common sense failed to play a part in his confused thoughts in the middle of the night — in his defense, how did any of the passed night make sense? How had they wound up here?

The litany of questions came with zero answers, however, and despite his many attempts, he was unable to sleep. So he tossed and he turned and he checked the clock and he sipped on the glass of water Sam had insistently fetched before bed. And when the sick feeling in his stomach, mixed with the pounding in his head, became too toxic of a mixture, he tried to discreetly drag the covers from his body and tiptoe to their bathroom to avoid Sam waking up — it was a near success, too, but as he lit up the light and shut the door, the newest Carrington became painfully aware of the sudden cold, empty spot next to him. Or, perhaps the disturbance in the perfect silence was the thing that startled him awake, but he preferred to believe that he and Steven were connected enough to sense waves of trouble in each other.

That was what he told himself, anyway, as he stirred out of his slumber and groggily parted one eye only to find Steven's side of the bed deserted, quickly raising something alarming in his chest. Still disoriented, Sam pushed himself up with both hands and glanced around the room to locate his husband, merely for his eyes to catch the illumination seeping into the bedroom from beneath the sealed and locked bathroom door. It could have been no big deal, but something in him told that it was best to not stay in bed and fall asleep again, so while a reluctant yawn stretched his jaw, Sam shoved the duvet away and instinctively shivered at the cold. The pinch wasn't enough to coax him back in though, but instead, it just encouraged him to hastily make his way to the bathroom, the floorboards giving away his nimble steps with quiet creaks as his knuckles reached for the door.

"Steven?" he was wary and respectful of the man's personal space, but until he'd make sure he was alright, Sam had no plans on leaving him alone. So, prepared for anything, he footed himself on the other side of the door and leaned in to listen for a reply, only for complete silence to meet him — that was, until the soft pad of footfalls followed, as did the click of the lock turning to the other direction.

The door swayed open with a dainty nudge from Steven's side, but even with such little force, Sam took it as permission to step in or at the very least help him back to the bed, and holding that in mind, he desperately grabbed the handle and yanked the door open all the way. The mild concern poking at his heart flared into a gut-wrenching wildfire when he faced Steven, who, even with his eyes cast at the floor, was clearly shaken to a point where fighting the tears no longer worked. It wasn't full-on sobbing — that was rare for him — but much like at the baby shower, he stood there now, vulnerable and defenseless, trembling and sniffling as his bloodshot eyes slowly rose from his toes to Sam.

Sam, who didn't hesitate to leap forward with his arms jutting out and inviting the tortured man into a hug — a gesture that Steven was simply too weak to resist, beaten down not in a physical sense but doubly so in every other. He didn't take more than a second to drop into Sam's arms, his own hands circling to his back and his head falling onto his shoulder as he held onto for dear life, with Sammy doing precisely the same. He would have rather starved standing there than let go of Steven, watched the seasons change and thrown everything else to the wind as long as he could embrace his soulmate in an attempt to squeeze the pieces on brink of collapse, back together.

"I got you, Steven", Sam muttered into the disarrayed strands of dark hair while supporting his head with one hand and massaging soothing circles on his back with the other. "I know it hurts", he whispered in understanding, although it was hard to imagine being in such a specific situation, but he did know that there was no painless way out of it. He, too, was hurting, mostly on Steven's behalf, but it only made his job of sympathizing easier — and in reality, he didn't even see it as a task that he needed to tend to. If anything, being able to hold Steven in his arms and comfort him through the shaky cries that barely broke the silence on the threshold between their two rooms, was a privilege, something to accept with gratitude and belief that he was the luckiest guy out there.

Minutes passed, maybe even a dozen more than just a few of them, but when the chaos in the air began to mellow down, Sam grasped the opportunity to swing around, just to slide an arm around Steven better and lead him towards the bed. After shutting the bathroom lights and pushing the door closed, he began to walk the poor guy to their mattress with as much support as he could — and Steven, unable and unwilling to fight back, wasn't afraid of relying on Sam and letting him guide him to the secure comfort of their sheets.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Sammy wasn't quite sure which part of their particularly horrendous night he was referring to, but whatever had gotten Steven to cry, was worth his attention. Before the question could ring out as more of a demand though, he continued with, "I understand if not. Either way, I'm staying up with you until you fall asleep" while readjusting the pillows he then placed Steven on and tugging the duvet onto his long legs. With a careful smile down at him, Sam found balance in the wall while his free hand traced a feathery touch across Steven's cheekbones to rid them of teardrops, and in return, the Carrington reached out to tow him onto the bed as well.

"What if I can't?" Steven split the air in half with his cracking voice, his eyes somehow simultaneously tired _and_ alert as they searched Sam's own. Maybe he was expecting to find hesitance in them, or something else equally hurtful, but there was none — there never was.

The light chuckle that escaped Sam's mouth made Steven's stomach flip with excitement as it echoed in their room, utterly lacking in judgment and fully packed with fondness. "Then I'll stay up the whole night, obviously. I love sleeping, but not as much as I love you", he informed matter-of-factly, his lips pressing a tender kiss on Steven's forehead before he made a move to get up from the bed again. "Do you want me to get you something to drink?"

Shaking his head, Steven hauled Sam back to himself until they were body to body and he could sigh in the almost-a-hug and rest his head on his bare chest. "I'm just confused. And tired", he revealed, causing Sam to instinctively perk up at the sharing he had not expected, though certainly wished for. "At first, I was scared to... to become a father, to ruin another child with this house of horrors. But then I... I really wanted it. With you. I wanted it to work out and I wanted to figure it all out with you", Steven rambled whilst his fingers drew patterns on Sam's muscles without him even realizing he was doing so.

It went unnoticed by Sam too, however, as the words that had been left in the air became drenched in sadness — the kind that suddenly surged in his heart too.

"Me too", he frowned, glancing down at Steven and tightening his hold on him. "I can't believe Melissa would do this. I mean, I never saw her as some saint, but...", he trailed off mid-sentence, his thoughts wandering as did his focus, the blank stare fixating on the wall opposite them. Quietness landed between them, though it was never the awkward sort, yet nonetheless, Sam found himself disrupting again. "I am sorry, Steven. It's... unfair. _Wrong_. But just because this didn't work out, doesn't mean we can't have a family one day. With our own terms", he didn't want to go too far, but he felt the need to put it out there — that for him, the idea of children had not been snuffed out by Melissa's cruel plotting. That even with all the issues that surrounded them, he had signed up for a life with Steven and it was, one hundred percent, all that he wanted.

"I know", Steven huffed, still trying to process it all, but much like Sam had pointed out somewhere along the night, talking about the things on his mind had helped. And there was, admittedly, something else that he wanted to say out loud. "You're the one thing keeping me sane right now", he mumbled, almost nervous to admit something so definite and grave after the people around him had done nothing but leave, tonight in particular, but it was the truth — when nothing else worked out, when nothing else would shield him, Sam and his unconditional love did. His protectiveness, his fierce loyalty, how he would have sacrificed everything and anything for Steven, how he never failed to keep him grounded and make him feel like his opinions and feelings mattered, like his fears were justified and his worries beatable. He never judged and he never turned his back — yes, they had had their problems too and their history wasn't flawless, but neither were they, yet they accepted one another. They were, as Anders had declared, partners for life.

And that was why Sam wasn't bothered by the serious candor rising from Steven. "And I promise I'll always be here to do that", he pointed out with a quiet hum, and after gingerly lifting his husband's jaw with the tip of his finger, he ducked down to capture his lips in a profound kiss, the type that left them unaware of their surroundings, uncaring of the world beyond just the two of them. It was like a momentary sanctuary, a shelter from all the bad things that always tried to bring them down — as far as Sam and Steven were concerned, there was nothing else worthwhile than the unknown but characteristic taste of each other, Steven's hand on Sam's chest and Sam's hand on Steven's cheek, the feeling of their legs colliding underneath the covers and the soft breaths they shared whenever they broke apart for a split second.

When they, at last, separated, it was only to allow them to rest their foreheads together in silent agreement. As much as Sam loved to declare his love for Steven and as much as Steven loved to return the favor with his generous praise, sometimes no words were needed between them. In fact, it was another level on their relationship that proved its importance, how they could hear everything without either of them even parting their lips, how they could read each other like an open book. And if, at times, there was no room for communication, they still blindly followed one another, devoting all of their time and support for the other whether or not they knew what it was all about. Perhaps to some — Fallon, for one — it was almost foolish, how love was rendering them so exposed and naive, but for them, it just felt good and reassuring to know that they could rely on their bond if nothing else. Should all else fail and encourage them to abandon hope, they could always crawl back to each other and feel at home, once more. 

And as Steven slowly melted back on the bed and Sam made an effort to take a better position to allow them to at least try and drift back to sleep, with his fingers finding their way through his lover's hair and his arm wrapped tightly around his shoulders, that was exactly what they thought about. That even if one of them had a dead father and the other was in a predicament of having one by blood and one by bond, and even if the baby they had prepared to raise together would never make his way to their arms, as long as they had each other, they were alright and they were safe and they were _home._

**Author's Note:**

> I know this fandom is so so small and the show is underrated, but I also know that the people who love Steven and Sam, love them so much. So, even if this may not get a lot of attention, it’ll be here waiting! I would love to hear some feedback, and if anyone happens to have any requests or other writing prompts / AUs they associate with Steammy, I’d be happy to hear them out :) Thank you for reading xx


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